


Beyond The Door

by Lora_Blackmane



Series: Zine Pieces [7]
Category: Slime Rancher (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Goofy - Freeform, Tera be collecting them slimes y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:21:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24562285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lora_Blackmane/pseuds/Lora_Blackmane
Summary: After sometime traveling to the ruins, Tera notices a strange door. Where could it lead to...?
Series: Zine Pieces [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712656
Kudos: 1





	Beyond The Door

**Author's Note:**

> My 2nd Piece for the SR OC zine!

Tera had been coming to the ruins for a while now, sometimes for the slimes, sometimes to collect phase lemons. But most of the time… she came here for the same reason Mr. Hobson used to go to his cave. She just found the place calming. 

Sometimes she'd lay down on the grass or the stones in the pool and watch the Quantum Slimes phase in and out of existence around her, like flickering fireflies against the background of the scenic stonework of the ruined building’s walls. They would play with the other slimes that would appear from the bushes or cracks within the walls, making strangely beautiful totems or jump around without a care in the world. Times like these, when there were no Tarrs running around or pain in her leg, were the moments she cherished most. These were the times when she was completely at peace with the world, not a single thing could bother her...

But for once, there  _ was _ something bothering her.

That strange door she found in the building at the top of the bridge. 

It was clearly a slime key door, but what could it lead too? The only thing around the ruins that way was a small stretch of mountains. After that it was all sea - there was no way that it would lead to a new place. Was it holding something back? What if she released some  _ horrendous _ , slime devouring beast by unlocking the door?! These weird thoughts were the only reason she hadn't gone looking for a slime key to open the door with. But, slowly these thoughts were being outweighed by a ravenous curiosity - hungrier than the most ravenous Tarr. She  _ needed _ to know where the door led. She started to wander the ruins, planning out where she would look for the next key, when she suddenly heard something.

Something big was hitting the ground beneath her.

She jumped down, opening up a door as she went and going through a side room. She jumped across a large body of water that had been created when the pathway fell, using her jet booster to help her make the final stretch. Thanks to the boosters she made it, but fell on her side as she landed, making her flinch as she hit the tiles. Groaning, she stood up… right in front of something. Something very hot - hotter than a thousand furnaces. 

She looked up.

“Oh my! Well, I must say I wasn’t expecting one of y’all to be hidin' here friend.” A giant boom Gordo was hidden in the corner room, happily bouncing to a tune she couldn't hear. Well, this would make her adventure much easier wouldn't it? She checked her containment slots - just enough chickens to fill the big guy up. It was a good thing she had went on a chicken run today, although she was certain Giovanni would be upset with her when she came back to the ranch chicken-less. Oh well, she'd just have to get more tomorrow.

She lined up her Vacpack to take the shot...

* * *

She removed the large key from her back pocket, holding it for a second before jamming it into the door. She couldn't wait any longer. She needed to find out what was there. The key twirled in the slot before locking into place, sending out a pale pink blast of energy before the door opened - revealing a long hallway. She cautiously walked down the path, feeling more and more worried as it went on. Suddenly, it started to grow outward, until she could no longer touch the ceiling, and it continued to grow until she was standing in the middle of an atrium. It looked like the rest of the ruins, but there were some differences. Two large glowing rods were attached to the walls, and there was an opening above a pool of water surrounded by Quantum slime statues, the center one in front of a glowing blue backdrop. Upon closer inspection the blue backdrop wasn't a backdrop at all, instead it was a bunch of strange blue rods, seemingly connecting the energy from the pool to… somewhere. She would have to come back and examine how these worked.

Right now though?

She was going to see what these statues would do. 

She shot a plort into the mouths of each of the statues, causing them to let out a hum, and watched as the pool slowly started to glow brighter and brighter. She shot the final plort in, and could feel the energy of the pool crackle and grow as she did so. She let out a nervous breath… was this really something she wanted to do?

...

She stepped into the pool.

A flash of light blinded her.

She could feel the energy crackle across her skin.

She closed her eyes.

...Suddenly the energy left.

And she opened her eyes.

In front of her was a ruined building with no ceiling, letting her see the stars shining high above her gleam like diamonds. She looked around, letting her hands gently graze a pillar as she walked towards the entrance of these new ruins. She stepped out of the giant sandstone building, eyes filled with wonder as she gazed across the sandy sea. Slimes, both ones she had never seen and ones she knew so well, danced across the sand around towering glass statues, which shone spectacularly against the dark, star speckled sky. The bright blue hue the statues had was a gorgeous contrast to the browns and yellows that surrounded it. And she could barely see more hiding behind the tall mountainside, waiting for her to see them. She could also see tall cacti gently swaying with the wind, it's tall body leaning slightly against the tall walls of the mountain near it.

The view was absolutely breathtaking, but it didn't hold a candle to the new slimes. Some of them glittered like gemstones hidden in her mother's old jewelry box, others had soft yellow flowers resting on top of their heads. She let out a soft gasp as she crept closer to them -

Only to jump back as a gemstone one burst into flames. She panicked, fearing that some sort of strange desert Tarr had attacked it, but upon closer inspection the slime was unharmed. In fact, it seemed like the slime was the source of the ravenous flames that swirled across the hard sand. Absolutely stunning. Did the other one have similar protection features? She would have to find out soon. She sat down on the ground, pulling out her sketchbook and drawing quick sketches of the slimes for her log. She put her bag down and reached into it to grab a green pen -

"Whoa!"

She suddenly found herself in the air as a small cyclone suddenly appeared under her, lifting her up off the ground. She screamed again as it bounced her a bit before it disappeared, causing her to fall onto the ground. She sat up and looked around, trying to figure out what had caused that to happen, when she heard something behind her. 

_ Hehehe _

She turned to her left to see a strange purple slime bounce up and down, a - well she usually wouldn't call a slime's smile mischievous but it certainly fit this one's personality. "Did you do that, little guy?"

The slime didn't respond verbally. Instead they ran up to her and she was lifted up once again by a cyclone - one that came off the spinning disk connected to its body. They grabbed her backpack and started to go through it, only to stop and sniff the phase lemons hidden within. The slime cautiously bit one, only to throw that cautiousness to the wind as they seemed to like the taste of what they found and devoured the rest of the lemon whole. 

"You like fruit too, huh bud?" The slime grabbed her bag and ran off with it before stopping a little bit away. They jumped into the bag, munching on the fruit inside. 

She dropped down onto the ground as the cyclone dissipated. Tera pondered for a moment whether she should go over there. This slime didn't seem to trust much and she'd rather not be attacked by a cyclone. But, she needed her stuff back. Maybe if she offered some food she could get her bag back? 

She pulled a phase lemon from a hidden compartment on her Vacpack and knelt down so her hand was eye level with the slime. They stared at her for a second, seemingly scrutinizing her with much more attention than most slimes usually showed, before creeping closer and gobbling up the lemon. They stared at her again before slowly shoving their body under her fingertips. 

Getting the message she gently petted the slime, feeling an odd sort of purr shudder through their body. She grinned at them, before pulling out her Slimepedia from her bag and scanning them. A robotic voice trilled from the device, " _ dervish slime." _

"Huh, what a peculiar name you got buddy." She murmured as she petted them. The dervish slime paid no attention to her murmured words as they ate their lemon, gobbling up slower than they had before. They must be getting full, she thought. 

Once they were done they melted in her lap, dozing happily. Apparently she wasn't going anywhere else today. She let out a soft sigh and patted them on their head, causing them to let out a sleepy chirp before falling back to sleep. Her desert adventure would have to wait it seems.

The two of them stayed there until the sun peaked out from behind the ruins, making Tera get up. "I gotta go back home buddy. It was nice meeting you, though."

She got up to leave…

Only to be stopped by a cyclone appearing under her. The slime seemed upset that she was leaving. "I'm sorry, but I have to go!"

The slime refused to put her down. This wasn't good, she needed to feed Bernie and Giovanni and Pho! She tried to think of a way to get around the slime, but there was nothing in between them in the entrance. She wouldn't be able to escape that way. She wasn't sure if there was another exit, but if there was the little Dervish slime probably knew it too so that was out. What else could she do?

Maybe… it would stop if she let it join her? "Do you want to come with me, buddy?" 

The slime stopped their attack, letting her fall to the ground before it jumped into her bag. She let out a laugh as it nestled into her books and plorts. "Alright, you need a name then."

She stood there thinking for several minutes before she finally spoke. "Artie… that's what I'm gonna call ya, you little gremlin." 

Artie looked up at her before they threw her up into the air again, causing her to laugh and grab them from her bag as she went up. This was not something Artie had expected it seemed, as their eyes widened in surprise as they suddenly shot into the air with her. She laughed as they both flew upward, relishing in this new bit of chaos in her life. 

She couldn't wait till the others met their newest member of their little family. 


End file.
